Opinion: Proud to Be Head Cheerleader for ATA’s Agenda

Senior Vice President

State Government Affairs

UPS Inc.

Being chairman of American Trucking Associations is a tremendous honor — the capstone of a career in trucking that began for me many decades ago. I’m honored, not just that my fellow members have thought well enough of me to place me in this position but also that I’m becoming chairman at an exciting time for the industry.

It is a time that I am proud to be ATA’s head cheerleader. It also is the time to remind not just the public of our important role in their lives but to remind this industry of the importance of being here with us as ATA members.

In the months leading up to becoming chairman, I was asked many times, “Pat, will you have an agenda?” “What’s your plan? What are you going to do as ATA chairman?” And I believe I have a simple answer for that: My agenda is ATA’s agenda — the agenda ATA’s members have thoughtfully discussed, debated and set out to achieve.

PAT THOMAS PROFILE: Brings advocacy skills to position

In looking at that agenda, first and foremost, we are close to seeing a long-term highway bill enacted. Anyone who has spent any time on the road knows that our highways are clogged and crumbling, and we, as a country, have waited far too long to do anything about it.

Before becoming chairman, I helped lead ATA’s task force that was looking at ways to replenish the Highway Trust Fund — and I’m proud that we were able to come up with a number of solutions. I’m hopeful Congress will soon pass the multiyear bill that we need and deserve.

Another part of being ATA’s head cheerleader is highlighting the federation’s commitment to safety. Too often, we have this safety conversation from a defensive crouch — trying to defend our industry after a crash or from scurrilous attacks from anti-truck advocacy groups. We need to change that conversation.

As chairman, I want to make sure we are leading the conversation on road safety, proactively talking about our industry’s positive safety story.

Programs such as Trucking Moves America Forward, America’s Road Team, Share the Road and the National Truck Driving Championships are a tremendous start to this effort, but as your chairman, I challenge myself and all of you to do more to promote our commitment to safety.

Whether it is through technologies such as electronic logs or speed limiters, electronic stability control or more advanced equipment such as forward-collision warning systems, lane-departure warning systems and video event recorders; or through our advocacy for better drug-and-alcohol testing procedures or driver training and graduated licenses, ATA is on the leading edge of pushing for improved highway safety for all motorists.

We cannot, we must not, let our adversaries continue to shape the debate and paint us as anti-safety when their only answer is fewer trucks. We need to do better, and I believe that we will.

Another area where we can and must do better, not just as an industry but as a country, is in how we treat our veterans.

As we wind down some of the longest military engagements in our history, America must help our fighting men and women transition back into civilian life. Trucking, I believe, is uniquely suited to this — offering well-paying and available jobs to our veterans.

Programs such as Hiring our Heroes and legislative avenues to make it easier for veterans to get jobs as drivers can help not just our fighting men and women but our industry as we struggle with a shortage of drivers.

To keep pace with industry growth, we need to hire about 89,000 drivers a year — every year — for the next 10 years. America’s veterans already have answered our country’s call, and now we need make it easier for them to answer industry’s call.

As I close, I want to thank my predecessor, Duane Long, and all of ATA’s past chairmen for their hard work and their advice as I start this journey. Thank you to the staff of ATA and Gov. Bill Graves for their hard work and support this past year as I was the federation’s first vice chairman. I look forward to continuing our work as I to begin my term as chairman.

And finally, thank you to the members of ATA for their trust and confidence. ATA is a special organization and a special place, and I’m honored to represent them this next year.

Serving our members and the industry is an honor, especially during these exciting times. I’m looking forward to seeing where the road takes us.

Thomas is the 71st chairman of American Trucking Associations. UPS Inc. is the world’s largest package delivery company and a provider of supply chain management solutions. The company ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in the United States and Canada.